Crossroads
by Gryffindors watcher
Summary: Rupert Giles has made many choices in his life. Some bad and some good. Can he go back to his old life after watching his slayer die? Will the love that he finds there last? Choices are a part of life. Which road will he take?
1. Introducing Rupert Giles

**Hello everyone! I am new at writing long fanfictions and this will be long so please bare with me. I hope to release a chapter every couple of days. This is all from Rupert Giles POV. The character belongs to BTVS and this is a cross over with the Harry Potter universe. I hope you enjoy it and read on as I add to it. Please leave any comments or notes as feedback is appreciated, just please be civil if it is negative! :-)**

**Chapter 1**

Rupert Giles is more well known for being the devoted watcher and father figure of Buffy Summers, the slayer. He is so much more than he appears, his past clouded with secrets and magic. As a boy Rupert Giles attended Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. He was however, the oldest boy to ever be accepted into the first year at the age of 16. His father, who was also a watcher, did not want his son attending a wizarding school. He believed it would steer his son away from his destiny as a watcher. Eventually his mother, who was a witch, won the argument and Rupert Giles was sent to Hogwarts.

On the Hogwarts express he met 4 boys who were to become his greatest friends. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. Rupert and Remus were the book worms of the group and spent hours in the library together. James and Sirius were always the pranksters of the group and Peter... well... Peter was more of a follower. He idolised James and Sirius for their pranks. Rupert always got a bad vibe from the youngest of their group. In their third year they found out about Remus and his 'furry problem' as James called it. They all worked hard to be able to turn into animals themselves to keep their friend company on the nights of the full moon. By their fifth year they managed it. James turned into a stag, Sirius a Dog and Peter a rat... the hint should of been there really.

Rupert turned into a wolf. He was bigger than a grizzly bear, grey with white blended into his fur, his emerald eyes sharp and vivid. They all started looking forward to the full moon. Remus seemed calmer during the change with them there. Rupert knew it was dangerous to wonder around the grounds with a werewolf, anything could happen, any number of students could of gotten hurt. But the boys didn't think such adult thoughts at the time.

Rupert finished Hogwarts at the age of 22 and made his way back to London to do what his father asked of him. He began to train for the watchers council and against their rules he kept in touch with his friends. He attended James and Lily's wedding as one of the groomsmen and was overjoyed when they had Harry. Hearing his friends had gone into hiding with Voldemort seeking them out, Rupert wanted nothing more than to help them. The council of watchers soon put a stop to his communications with the wizarding world and his wand was locked away. Rupert hated that he couldn't help his friends.

One night his father told him his mother had been turned into a vampire, bitten on her way home from work. Rupert trained harder and sought to find her before anything bad happened to her but he was too late. He witnessed his father thrusting a stake through his mothers heart, he screamed in agony and left home, left the council and left himself behind. That night Ripper was born out of hatred and anger.

Ripper began to hang around with a bad crowd, easily becoming their leader. They use to summon demons to possess them to get high. One demon in particular was their favorite. Eyegon. One day the demon was too strong and it wouldn't release one of their group. Rupert took back control of himself and was forced to kill the man. He locked Ripper away inside his mind hating himself for what he had created. His aunt Minerva McGonagall was the only one to accept him back after he ran away. His mother had been her younger sister.

Rupert was glad that at the moment his friends were safe but his aunt told him it would be too dangerous to contact them. However they had sent a note to her for him months ago. He read it and his eyes began to fill up. They had named him a second godfather to Harry as well as Sirius. He felt warmth flood through him and he knew he had to go back to the council. He was accepted back and he worked harder to become what was expected from him. He graduated from Oxford and before he knew it he had an active Slayer to train. He was told to go to Sunnydale which was based on top of a hellmouth. He would be living over the mouth of hell itself. He left when Harry was just 8 months old.

He arrived in Sunnydale eager to meet his slayer. He took a place up at Sunnydale high as the librarian and readied himself. Buffy Summers knocked the wind out of him. She was more than he bargained for. She had a temper that rivaled his own. It was as if he'd sudden had a teenage daughter. She rejected her destiny and fought against it just as he had when he was her age. He recognized so much of himself in her. He vowed that she would be the oldest slayer to exist. He would work as hard as he could to protect her.

Hearing the news of Lily and James death he felt rage boiling up inside him. He tried his best to deal with it but then the school began to hand out 'band candy'. Ripper began to cause trouble in Sunnydale and by the time Rupert gained control again he was embarrassed by what his slayer now knew about him. He was amazed when she didn't judge him, she accepted him as broken as he was. She saved him for the millionth time and he was grateful.

He pushed Buffy further than anything with her training. He found that having a social life, friends and family... it gave her something to live for. It drove her to protect them and to protect her own life... something no other slayer had ever had before. Rupert was fired for the fathers love he had for her and he still refused to leave her side. They had been through so much, lost so much... even hurt each other emotionally no matter how much they didn't mean it. When Buffy ran away and returned home Rupert didnt judge her. He'd done the same thing after all and having his aunt accept him back had been a blessing, he only hoped his understanding and acceptance showed in his actions.

When Buffy died it broke him. He felt like a shell of the man that had existed. He wanted to scream at the world to stop spinning, to scream at the trees and green grass, lakes and streams for them to stop being so beautiful, he wanted to roar at the sun for being so bright. His slayer, his Buffy... she was dead and the world should be frozen over and coated with darkness for her loss. He stayed in Sunnydale to help her sister Dawn and the gang but it was too much. With the Buffy bot reactivated he couldn't stand to be around. He soon booked a flight back to England.

His aunt received word of his return and immediately convinced Albus to use him as the advanced OWL and NEWT level Defense against the dark arts professor. Albus wrote to Rupert and he agreed to it. He was now on his way back to Hogwarts, back to the only other home he'd ever known other than Sunnydale. He didn't realize his life was about to change forever.


	2. Introducing Persephone Aliraven

**This is the second chapter and I hope you like it! This is where we meet the strange and mysterious student, Persephone Aliraven! This whole story is based on a roleplay I am currently a part of at the moment. The OC character Persephone Aliraven in this story is not of my creation, it is that of on . Do not steal any of this as hard work has been put into these characters. I do hope you enjoy the tale as it continues and that you continue to read on. This chapter was written by Morbid Naneko, the person who created the character so DO NOT STEAL! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 2**

Persephone Illythia Aliraven was born to the Aliraven house in France. They are an extremely noble house and one of the oldest houses with much influence. Though the Aliraven house was not like the Malfoys, they used their wealth and influence to help the community fairly, and not bribe officials; that was until Pierre and Elizabeth Aliraven took over. The two wanted power and influence and was not above using black mail and money to gain it, Elizabeth fell pregnant with Persephone and had debated killing the baby before finally deciding to just have the child. Finding it a girl both parents ended fostering her off to tutors and maids to have them teach her, they were far too busy gaining up in society to actually bother with her. Wanting to have something to brag about when she was two they started forcing her to study, to learn everything she could and it worked Persephone was a genius and thus thrust into the spotlight as the parents bragged about how smart of a daughter they had.

Over time she did everything she could to win the love of her parents but it seemed to never be enough, she excelled at everything she could including dancing which she found was a way to escape. When she was seven she realized something was terribly wrong these boys and men were getting attracted to her, scared she ran to her parents who just shrugged it off at first but then realized they may have something else they could use. Having blood tests ran it was found that the Aliraven line which had seemed to only produce males now were Veelas, because the gene could only manifest in females it remained dormant until the house finally produced the first girl in centuries. The gene had awaken and thus made her a full blooded Veela that had magic still because she was technically a pureblooded witch as well, the genes now coexisted together instead of one trying to overpower the other.

Her veela finally manifested into sexual allure and the parents were delighted at the fact and when she was nine used it to their advantage, there was a pathetically annoying guy within the ministry who had won the promotion to a higher status in the ministry over the Aliravens. They knew he had a particular taste for young girls and with the allure Persephone gave off could ensnare the man and have him charged or have him blackmailed into doing what they want him to. Taking Persephone out for the first time to hang out as a family they treated her to ice cream, she was believing she won their approval until they pretended to lose her near a particularly dark alley that was full of hags and shady people.

Within moments her allure attracted the man and he started to attack her, having managed to rip her clothing her magic reacted and killed the man showering the small Veela in blood. Instead of comforting her about what she had done, they scolded her for making them not be able to use the man; they even punished her by locking her up in her room not allowing any food for a few days. It was then that she realized her family didn't love her and never will, instead of slacking off she threw herself into her studies even more wanting to be able to escape them.

When she reached eleven she choose Hogwarts over Beaubaxtons wanting to try and escape her parents, when she got there she was quickly sorted into Ravenclaw and thought perhaps her life would turn around. She was wrong, because she was French, a Veela and extremely smart the Ravenclaws started to pick on her and bully her to the point she sometimes had cuts from the spells hitting her.

She stood tall and took everything they gave but at night she would cry her eyes out, life was just so cruel to the Veela who either had guys trying to get into her skirt or the girls who taunted her and bullied her. The beautiful Veela developed a way to hide her allure and keep it under control with a charm bracelet she made, although the only charms were from her best friends on the Hogwarts grounds and Forbidden Forest. She bought glasses and kept her eyes hidden, clothes that were slightly baggy she started acting like a total nerd so no one would ever know what was underneath the disguise and used her time to learn to be a animagnus so she could run and be free.

While Persephone had several phobias due to being thrust into the spotlight, she also developed disorders and the once outgoing girl dwindle away leaving behind a timid, demure, shy, quiet and obedient Veela who would never attempt to fight back, her desire to be away from her parents overpowered her need to fight back and perhaps get expelled for it. Though if anyone got to know the Veela they would find out she could be sarcastic and have a sense of humor that cared for those she deemed important to her, being in the shadows she soon started getting dirt on everyone, knowing their deepest darkest secrets.

When she was thirteen she got a letter from her dead grandparents it had a time delay on it, it told her that they knew how the parents were and so entrusted the whole house and fortune to Persephone skipping her parents all together not that they knew since they were still allowed to take money out. She decided to keep this to herself for she knows if her parents found out they would attempt to have her killed, they now have her engaged to a man fifty years her senior who was undersecretary to the minister.

With this marriage it would elevate the parents standing to that which they always wanted, it was then she started entertaining the thought of going dark just to escape her family and the cruelty of the school. With her past it was no wonder she was awkward around people and tried her best to be invisible, it was why she had fled from the classroom and Rupert, people couldn't be trusted.


	3. First Day

**This is where both character meet each other for the first time. From Rupert Giles perspective more than Persephone's! I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 3**

Arriving at Hogwarts had been a blur. Being hugged and comforted by his aunt had also been a blur. Telling them what had happened and pouring out his pain and sorrow... that had been embarrassing but he had needed it. He had a week or so to relax and pull himself back together before the students arrived. He spent hours pouring over books, making lesson plans and often forgetting to eat. He had gotten his wand back off his aunt who had been keeping it safe for him, not that he needed a wand to perform magic. By the time the start of term feast came, Rupert was thinner than usual, he had black bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and his shoulders sagged tiredly as he made his way to the teachers table. He sat down and gave Albus a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He was wearing dark green robes that matched his emerald eyes.

He was on the right hand side of his aunts chair which was empty at the moment as she would be leading the first years into the hall and commencing the sorting. He watched the older students enter the great hall first, filling up the house table and chattering loudly. The enchanted ceiling was full of stars and dotted with clouds. He gazed up and almost lost himself for a moment, it was truly beautiful. He took a steady breath and looked back around the hall as the students settled down. His eyes rested on the Ravinclaw table and he frowned as he felt himself drawn to a blond student. He averted his gaze when he realized he was staring and he looked at the doors when they opened and in marched his aunt with the first years.

He watched the sorting half heartedly, his emerald eyes wandering around the hall. Once the sorting finished and the food appeared in front of them, his aunt began to pile his plate up with food. He began to eat taking the hint and drained his glass of pumpkin juice. He suddenly began to feel drowsy and calm for the first time since Buffy's death. He waited for the hall to empty before saying goodnight to his aunt and making his way to his rooms. "Password" asked the portrait of a man playing poker with a dog. The dog in the portrait wagged its tale and barked. "Sunnydale" said Rupert feeling a pang in his heart as he spoke it. He stepped through and stumbled to bed, nightmares plaguing him once more.

The next morning Rupert woke and skipped breakfast, choosing to go straight to his classroom to prepare. His first advanced class was to be Ravinclaw. The classes were only small given that he was teaching higher grade material. He flicked through a book at his desk and heard the door to his classroom open and close. He listened to the sound of gentle footsteps move to the front of the room. The owner to the footsteps sounded very graceful, almost as if they had glided across the room. Rupert continued to flick through his book, his eyes not looking up until he sensed the student had settled.

He finally lifted his gaze and his breath caught in his throat when he saw her sat at the front row. She was short and thin. She had blond hair and beautiful silver eyes, hidden behind glasses he doubted she needed. She was breath taking. He sensed something about her that made his hair stand on end and he frowned a little. He watched her read and noticed how hard she was trying to act as if he were not there, to be invisible. He set his book down with a soft thump and cleared his throat. "Your here considerably early miss?" he stated leaving his question hanging in the air so she could introduce herself.

"Aliraven sir" she answered, looking away from the book for a second to look at him before averting her gaze back to the book. Her voice came out as barely a whisper, gentle and ethereal. He was conscious of how much he was staring at her and he quickly moved his gaze to the back wall of the classroom. He was always awkward around people. He had gotten so use to everyone back in Sunnydale, to be in a crowded school again with wizards and witches, it was very overwhelming. "I am Professor Giles, your new Defense against the dark arts professor. Do you have any notes on your classes next year as your predecessor doesn't seem to of left anything for me to see what you were doing" he stated, his emerald eyes flicking back to the young woman at the desk.

Persephone rifled through her bag and he was amazed at how many books were inside it. He smiled as she pulled out a leather bound journal with a symbol of a Celtic wolf on the front. She held it out to him without a word and he took it off her with an awkward smile. He moved back to his desk and carefully looked through the book. She had notes dating right back to her first year in the subject. Her understanding of the dark arts was beyond impressive and he could see why she was in his class. He had to admit he was having more and more in common with this young woman with every second. He glanced up from the book and frowned. The student seemed so closed off and guarded. He could tell she wanted to be left alone, that she would prefer to sink into the shadows than deal with people. He imagined that was why she was early to class, to avoid the crowded corridor.

He finished reading through it and closed it over, getting out from behind his desk and approaching where she sat. He handed her the book back. "You have beautiful handwriting" he commented honestly. "I take it you enjoy reading" he added trying to get her engaged in conversation. He imagined that with her intellect he would very much enjoy discussions with her. He did however, have to break down that gigantic wall she had obviously built around herself. He wasn't stupid enough to believe he could accomplish this goal in one conversation yet he had to start somewhere with her. She took the book without looking at him and placed it back in her bag. He heard the mutter of "Yes" as she did so and he sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Rupert was good at reading people, by their actions and such but he was no good with emotions. He couldn't read people that way. More than once he had been called an idiot because he hadn't realized that a woman was flirting with him or that he hurt people's feeling with his blunt responses. He sighed as the rest of the class filtered in and he watched their interaction with her. More than once he had to tell some of the Ravenclaws to behave and stop their childish behavior. He didn't want the class teasing Persephone of being teachers pet so he tried his best to shout at them for talking and being childish rather than confront them directly about her. He didn't want her to think that he thought her weak as he could tell she was stronger than she looked, and that she could handle herself.

At the end of class he watched everyone leave, his emerald eyes watching Persephone closely. He didn't understand what his fascination with her was... she stood out from the crowd to him... maybe it was because he saw similar traits in her as he had himself. A fellow student bumped into Persephone and used their wand to split her bag open. He moved forward as her bag split, he didn't know a student had done it. He bent down to help pick everything up when he noticed her tears. He frowned, he wasnt good at this sort of thing, usually he made things worse. "Are you ok?" he asked tenderly, his emerald eyes full of concern. "I know you don't know me well enough at the moment... but I am an exceptionally good listener..." he said softly, his hand reaching out to wipe the tear from her cheek but then he pulled back before he did it. He didn't want to over step his boundaries, she was his student after all.

He frowned that she had flinched at his movement, as if she was scared he might strike her. He felt angry at whoever had made her so scared of human contact. He was amazed at how much he seemed to care about this student already. "I have to go to class" she stated quickly, practically running from the room. Rupert stood frozen in his classroom, his mouth hanging open slightly. He was deeply confused about what had just happened but not as confused as the student. She had felt confused as to why she had been crying and even more confused as to why she had felt so disappointed that the professor hadn't wiped her tears away. She was so confused she had fled the room, taking the cowardly way out.


	4. The Forbidden Forest

**This chapter means a lot to me. Simply because it's where Giles comes to an important realization. As usual enjoy and please leave a review of what you think! Also can I remind you to be kind in your reviews, if it is bad... let me down gently! :-)**

**Chapter 4**

Persephone finished her classes and made her way to the school grounds while it was quiet. She spent some time tickling the tentacle of the giant squid before walking around the black lake. She noticed several students poking fun at the whomping willow and the veela raged inside her, feathers beginning to form along the back of her neck and arms. She took a deep breath and calmed down as the students moved away from the willow. She moved towards the plant and began to stroke the branch of the whomping willow. "Yes yes I am glad to be back too. I missed you over the holidays" she spoke musically to the tree. "My day was odd you know" she said aloud as she relaxed at the tree. "We have a new defense teacher, a professor Giles. He is odd, trying to get me to talk to him. I resisted" she continued closing her eyes at the base of the tree where she was seated.

"I don't know what to do. I am on good terms with all the other professors but he will be gone within a year. Is it worth getting to know someone who is only going to leave in the end?" she questioned knowing the tree couldn't reply. "I should probably go but I am comfy here" she explained in a sleepy voice. "I also have to visit the animals in the forest" she stated standing up. She said goodbye to the willow and made her way to the forest. She traveled to the very heart of the forest to her usual clearing, smiling as the thestrals and unicorns came to say hello.

Meanwhile Rupert had finished his day of teaching and needed to clear his head. The only way he knew to do that was to go for a run in the forest in his animagus form. He hadn't done this since he was a boy. The last time had been with Remus on the night of the full moon. He walked through the grounds and into the forest. When he was sure he was out of sight of any students he transformed into his animagus form. He was unregistered after all, just like James, Sirius and Peter. He became bigger than a grizzly bear, his fur grey streaked with white. His emerald eyes glowed in the dark of the forest.

He began to run through the tree, his paws pounding on the ground as he ran. His heart raced in his chest and his senses roamed wild. He could smell everything, his eyesight saw every minor detail in the forest no matter how dark it was. He felt strong and powerful. He stopped running and began sniffing at various trees, picking up scents of animals. He frowned as he smelled a familiar scent. He padded forward, sniffing at the ground until he reached a clearing. The scent was stronger here and more pronounced. His emerald eyes glanced around and he was surprised to see unicorns and thestrals in the same place together. His heart stopped as he saw Persephone. He laid down by a tree close by and watched her, not pretending to hide as he knew she wouldn't know it was him, although his emerald eyes were the same as when he was human.

Persephone could feel eyes upon her and she glanced around, smiling when she saw the wolf. Wolves were her favorite animals and this wolf in particular was beautiful. She held out a hand and asked the wolf to come to her. Rupert inwardly smiled at her request and he stood and moved over to her, licking her out stretched hand. Persephone moved to sit back down and wrapped her arms around the wolf. She could tell it was male. He had beautiful green eyes and she faintly recognized them. Rupert moved to rest his giant head on her lap, purring as she stroked his fur. He hoped she would open up to him so he knew why she ran from him.

Slowly Persephone began to talk, to tell him what was on her mind. "All my classes were normal but something did happen in my defense against the dark arts class. We have a new professor as always" she stated rolling her silver eyes and sighing. "His name is professor Giles and he is British but he must of spent some time in America by the way he talks" she stated and Rupert was amazed at how intelligent she was, how well she read him. "He tried to make friends with me but how can I make friends with him when he wont last longer than a year. No other professor in this subject has and I refuse to get close to anyone who is only going to leave" she stated running her fingers over the fur of his head.

Rupert frowned at her words and closed his eyes as she stroked his head. It felt so good. "The funny thing was that he seemed to try and protect me from the taunts from my fellow students without making it seem like he was she said, her voice soft with gratitude. Rupert was happier than ever that she knew what he had done. He nuzzled her and relaxed enjoying his time with her. "He even helped me pick up my things after one of the students purposely ripped it open to make me late" she stated sadly. Rupert felt his heart go out to her, his anger at the other students growing. How dare they do such a thing to such a beautiful woman.

"I wish I wasn't a creature, I wish I wasn't beautiful and most of all I wish I was free" she said, her eyes watery yet she refused to cry. Rupert admired her strength. He wished he could make everyone see what he did. She was amazing, beautiful and intelligent, perfect in every way. She should never have to wish to be any different. "Maybe then I wouldn't be picked on, bullied or abused by my housemates. You know they attacked me in the common room last night?" she said, her eyes full of anger. Rupert felt his blood boil at her words and he growled softly. He wanted to rip the students who hurt her to pieces and he had no idea why he felt like this. She was a student, why did he want to protect her so much? Why did he want to get to know her? Why was he nuzzling her in his animagus form? Surely this was inappropriate behaviour?

"I should get back to school, maybe spend some time in the library. I have my own desk in the back so no one will ever bother me. Its in the defense section" she said with a smile. She leaned down and kissed Ruperts snout and he licked her cheek. He whimpered softly as she left and his heart ached to be near her. He frowned at that thought, where had that come from? He shook his head, he could not be falling in love with a student. Panicking he raced through the forest and to his office. He pulled out the files on students and found Persephone's. He sighed with relief seeing she was of legal age in the wizarding world, 17. However that didn't ease his guilt. He was in a position of power, he should not be feeling this way about a student. He leaned against the door of his office and took his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh dear lord I'm falling for a student" he groaned appalled at himself.


End file.
